Press release: NHS Confederation responds to legislative proposals on the NHS reform bill and equality bill

14 May 2008

Commenting on the proposed draft legislation on NHS reform, Steve Barnett, acting Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents 95 per cent of NHS organisations, said:

"An NHS constitution will enshrine the values and principles of the NHS and help set a balance between central control and local autonomy. However, there will be challenges in making this meaningful for staff and patients in an organisation the size of the NHS, especially in relation to their rights and responsibilities."

"The NHS Confederation has long said that the NHS needs to focus more on patient experience and health outcomes, and a review of the payment system will be a helpful step in realising this.  Any changes to the tariff would need to both improve the quality of care and deliver value for money, and provide the right incentives that put patients at the very heart of the system.

"Primary Care Trusts want to be more accountable to patients and the public, and the Confederation supports their involvement in local decision-making. The NHS can also achieve the stronger accountability it aspires to by providing more information for the public on how decisions are made and strengthening existing structures and relationships with local government. "

"While individualised budgets could be an important part of providing personalised and cost effective care, there needs to be a commitment to develop pilots to explore how best to evaluate this approach."

Alastair Henderson, acting director of NHS Employers said:

"The NHS has already made significant progress in the area of equality and diversity and so we welcome the Equality Bill. With guidance from NHS Employers, the NHS will continue to support and promote flexible working patterns wherever possible while also ensuring that single equality schemes and equality impact assessments remain a top priority for employers."

ENDS

Notes for editors

The NHS Confederation represents more than 95% of the organisations that make up the NHS. Its members include the majority of NHS acute trusts, ambulance trusts, foundation trusts, mental health trusts, primary care trusts, special health authorities and strategic health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

Contact details

Contact Niall Smith 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309, Ruth Kennedy 020 7074 3312 or 07884 47 3086, or Ruby Casey-Knight 020 7074 3306 or 07881 957305.  For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.

 

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